NEP 2020

Prof. Amitabh N AT I O N A L E D U C AT I O N
POLICY 2020

Saxena
- Policy enforced in July 2020.
- New Policy Replaces National Policy on Education ,1986.
- Policy Aims to Transform India’s Education by 2040.

APPROVED BY
THE UNION CABINET ON 29-JULY
2020
 VISION OF THE NEP 2020
An education system rooted in Indian ethos that contributes directly to transforming
India, that is Bharat, sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society, by
providing high-quality education to all, and thereby making Bharat a global
knowledge superpower.
The curriculum and pedagogy of our institutions must develop a deep sense of respect
towards the fundamental duties and Constitutional values, bonding with one’s
country, and a conscious awareness of one’s roles and responsibilities in a
changing world.
To instill a deep-rooted pride in being Bhartiya, not only in thought, but also in spirit,
intellect, and deeds, as well as to develop knowledge, skills, values, and
dispositions that support responsible commitment to human rights, sustainable
development and living, and global well-being, thereby reflecting a truly global
citizen.
 REGULATORY REFORMS
In order to bring the focus back on education and learning, it may be desirable to re-
designate MHRD as the Ministry of Education (MoE).
A transformative strategic initiative is setting up of Higher Education Commission
of India (HECI), a single umbrella body for the entire higher education, excluding
medical and legal education. HECI, with four verticals viz.,
 National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) for regulation, It will
function as the common, single point regulator for the higher education sector.
 General Education Council (GEC) for standard setting, which will frame expected
learning outcomes for higher education programmes, also referred to as ‘graduate
attributes’. A National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF)
will be formulated by the GEC.
REGULATORY REFORMS
 Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC) for funding, which will carry out
funding and financing of higher education based on transparent criteria.
 National Accreditation Council (NAC) for accreditation would re-energize the
higher education and promote synergistic working towards achieving common
national goals.
The professional councils, such as the Indian Council for Agricultural Research
(ICAR), Veterinary Council of India (VCI), National Council for Teacher Education
(NCTE), Council of Architecture (CoA), National Council for Vocational Education
and Training (NCVET) etc., will act as Professional Standard Setting Bodies
(PSSBs).
INSTITUTIONAL RESTRUCTURING AND
CONSOLIDATION
By 2040, all higher education institutions (HEIs) shall aim to become
multidisciplinary institutions, each of which will aim to have 3,000 or more
students. There shall, by 2030, be at least one large multidisciplinary HEI in or
near every district.
The aim will be to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio(GER) in higher education
including vocational education from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035.
The definition of university will thus allow a spectrum of institutions that range from
those that place equal emphasis on teaching and research i.e., Research-
intensive Universities. Those that place greater emphasis on teaching but still
conduct significant research i.e. Teaching-intensive Universities.
Autonomous degree-granting College (AC) will refer to a large multidisciplinary
that grants undergraduate degrees and is primarily focused on undergraduate
teaching though it would not be restricted to that.
INSTITUTIONAL RESTRUCTURING AND
CONSOLIDATION
A stage-wise mechanism for granting graded autonomy to colleges, through a
transparent system of graded accreditation, will be established. HEIs will have the
autonomy and freedom to move gradually from one category to another, based on
their plans, actions, and effectiveness.
Single-stream HEIs will be phased out over time, and all will move towards
becoming vibrant multidisciplinary (minimum 5 dciplines) institutions or parts of
vibrant multidisciplinary HEI clusters.
The system of ‘affiliated colleges’ will be gradually phased out over a period of
fifteen years through a system of graded autonomy, and to be carried out in a
challenge mode.
The present complex nomenclature of HEIs in the country such as ‘deemed to be
university’, ‘affiliating university’, ‘affiliating technical university', ‘unitary university’
shall be replaced simply by 'university' on fulfilling the criteria as per norms.
TOWARDS A MORE HOLISTIC AND
MULTIDISCIPLINARY EDUCATION
A holistic and multidisciplinary education would aim to develop all capacities of
human beings -intellectual, aesthetic, social, physical, emotional, and moral in an
integrated manner.
Pedagogy in HEIs will focus on communication, presentation, discussion,
debate, research, analysis, and interdisciplinary thinking.
Even engineering institutions, such as IITs, will move towards more holistic and
multidisciplinary education with more arts and humanities.
Students of arts and humanities will aim to learn more science and all will make an
effort to incorporate more vocational subjects and soft skills.
STRUCTURE OF DEGREE PROGRAMM
The undergraduate degree will be of either 3 or 4-year duration, with multiple
exit options within this period, with appropriate certifications, e.g., a certificate
after completing 1 year in a discipline or field including vocational and
professional areas, or a diploma after 2 years of study, or a Bachelor’s degree
after a 3-year programme. The 4-year multidisciplinary Bachelor's
programme, however, shall be the preferred option.
Two years Master degree with full research in the second year, One year
Master degree for four years Bachelor degree holders, and Five years
integrated Bachelor/Master degree.
The 4-year programme may also lead to a degree ‘with Research’ if the
student completes a rigorous research project in their major area(s) of study as
specified by the HEI.
Model public universities for holistic and multidisciplinary education, at par with IITs,
IIMs, etc., called MERUs (Multidisciplinary Education and Research
Universities) will be set up and will aim to attain the highest global standards in
quality education.
STRUCTURE OF DEGREE PROGRAMME (CON..)
All HEIs will focus on research and innovation by setting up
(1) Start-up incubation centres,
(2) Technology development centres,
(3) Centres in frontier areas of research,
(4) Centre for Industry-academic linkage, and
(5) Interdisciplinary Research Centres including humanities and social
sciences research.
All HEIs will develop, support, and fund for topic-centred clubs and
activities organized by students with the help of faculty and other experts
as needed, in the area of science, mathematics, poetry, language, literature,
debate, music, sports, etc.
All HEIs will have professional academic and career counselling
centres with counsellors available to all students to ensure physical,
psychological and emotional well-being.
CURRICULAR STRUCTURE
Flexibility in curriculum and novel and engaging course options will be on
offer to students, in addition to rigorous specialization in a subject or
subjects.
This will be encouraged by increased faculty and institutional autonomy
in setting outcome based curricula. Pedagogy will have an increased
emphasis on communication, discussion, debate, research, and
opportunities for cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary thinking.
Towards the attainment of such a holistic and multidisciplinary education,
the flexible and innovative curricula of all HEIs shall include credit-
based courses and projects in the areas of community engagement and
service, environmental education, and value-based education.
As part of a holistic education, students at all HEIs will be provided with opportunities
for internships with local industry, businesses, artists, crafts persons, etc., as well as
research internships with faculty and researchers at their own or other HEIs/research
institutions, so that students may actively engage with the practical side of their learning
and, as a by-product, further improve their employability.
OPTIMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
AND SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS
All institutions and faculty will have the autonomy to innovate on matters of
curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment within a broad framework of higher
education qualifications that ensures consistency across institutions and
programmes and across the ODL, online, and the traditional ‘in-class’ modes.
Student Centered teaching & learning process instead of Teacher centred
teaching model.
Each institution will integrate its academic plans ranging from curricular
improvement to quality of classroom transaction - into its larger Institutional
Development Plan (IDP)
EVALUATION
HEIs shall also move away from high-stakes examinations towards more
continuous and comprehensive evaluation.
Curriculum and pedagogy will be designed by institutions and motivated faculty to
ensure a stimulating and engaging learning experience for all students, and
continuous formative assessment will be used to further the goals of each
programme.
All assessment systems shall also be decided by the HEI, including those that
lead to final certification. The Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) will be revised
for instilling innovation and flexibility.
HEIs shall move to a criterion-based grading system that assesses student
achievement based on the learning goals for each programme, making the system
fairer and outcomes more comparable.
ACADEMIC BANK OF CREDIT (ABC)
Establishment of Academic Bank of Credit which would digitally store the
academic credits earned by a student from various recognized HEIs so that
the degrees from an HEI can be awarded taking into account credits earned
is a path braking policy. This would promote healthy competition among HEIs
and flexibility for the students.
INTERNATIONALIZATION
Research/teaching collaborations and faculty/student exchanges with high-
quality foreign institutions will be facilitated
High performing 100 Indian universities will be encouraged to set up campuses
in other countries
Similarly, selected universities e.g., those from among the top 100 universities
in the world will be facilitated to operate in India.
A legislative framework facilitating such entry will be put in place, and such
universities will be given special dispensation regarding regulatory, governance,
and content norms on par with other autonomous institutions of India.
STUDENT ACTIVITY AND PARTICIPATION
Plenty of opportunities for participation in sports, culture/arts clubs, eco-clubs,
activity clubs, community service projects, etc.

In every education institution, there shall be counselling systems for handling

stress and emotional adjustments.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS
Efforts will be made to incentivize the merit of students belonging to SC, ST,
OBC, and other SEDGs.

Private HEIs will be encouraged to offer larger numbers of free ships and
scholarships to their students.
PH.D PROGRAM
Discontinuing M. Phil. Program and eligibility criteria for Ph.D. program either
a Master’s degree or a 4-year Bachelor’s degree with Research are welcome
policies.

Making Ph.D. entrants to take credit-based courses in teaching/

education/pedagogy/writing related to their chosen Ph.D domain area during
their doctoral training period.
PARAKH
Setting up of a National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance
Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development),
as a standard-setting body for student assessment and evaluation would
drive the assessment patterns towards meeting the requirements of the 21st
century.
MOTIVATED, ENERGIZED, AND
CAPABLE FACULTY
Faculty will be given the freedom to design their own curricular and
pedagogical approaches within the approved framework.

HEIs will have clearly defined, independent, and transparent processes and
criteria for faculty recruitment, and retention.
EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN HIGHER
EDUCATION
Actions that are specific to higher education shall be adopted by all
Governments and HEIs.
Steps to be taken by Governments
 Earmark suitable Government funds for the education of SEDGs

 Set clear targets for higher GER for SEDGs

 Enhance gender balance in admissions to HEIs

 Enhance access by establishing more high-quality HEIs in aspirational

districts and Special Education Zones
 Develop and support high-quality HEIs that teach in local/Indian languages
or bilingually

 Provide more financial assistance and scholarships to SEDGs in both

public and private HEIs (g) Conduct outreach programs on higher
education opportunities and scholarships among SEDGs (h) Develop and
support technology tools for better participation and learning outcomes.
EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN HIGHER EDUCATION
(CON.)….
Steps to be taken by all
HEIs
 Mitigate opportunity costs and fees for pursuing higher education
 Provide more financial assistance and scholarships
 Conduct outreach on higher education opportunities and scholarships
 Make admissions processes more inclusive
 Make curriculum more inclusive
 Increase employability potential of higher education programmes
 Develop more degree courses taught in Indian languages and bilingually.
REIMAGINING VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
Vocational education will be integrated into all school and higher education
institutions in a phased manner over the next decade.
By 2025, at least 50% of learners through the school and higher education
system shall have exposure to vocational education, for which a clear action
plan with targets and timelines will be developed.
Higher education institutions will offer vocational education either on their own
or in partnership with industry and NGOs.
The B.Voc. degrees introduced in 2013 will continue to exist, but vocational
courses will also be available to students enrolled in all other Bachelor’s degree
programmes, including the 4-year multidisciplinary Bachelor’s programmes.
REIMAGINING VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (CON..)

‘Lok Vidya’, i.e., important vocational knowledge developed in India, will be made
accessible to students through integration into vocational education courses.
Incubation centres will be set up in higher education institutions in partnership
with industries.
Indian standards will be aligned with the International Standard Classification of
Occupations maintained by the International Labour Organization.
The credit-based Framework will also facilitate mobility across ‘general’ and
vocational education.
NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Establishment of a National Research Foundation (NRF).
The overarching goal of the NRF will be to enable a culture of research to
permeate through our universities.
The primary activities of the NRF will be to:
•fund competitive, peer-reviewed grant proposals of all types and across all
disciplines;
•seed, grow, and facilitate research at academic institutions
•act as a liaison between researchers and relevant branches of government
as well as industry; so as to allow breakthroughs to be optimally brought into
policy and/or implementation; and
•recognize outstanding research and progress
CURBING COMMERCIALIZATION OF
EDUCATION
All education institutions will be held to similar standards of audit and
disclosure as a ‘not for profit’ entity. Surpluses, if any, will be reinvested in
the educational sector.
There will be transparent public disclosure of all these financial matters
with recourse to grievance-handling mechanisms to the general public.
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
Stand-alone agricultural universities, legal universities, health science universities,
technical universities, and stand-alone institutions in other fields, shall aim to
become multidisciplinary institutions offering holistic and multidisciplinary
education.
Both capacity and quality of agriculture and allied disciplines must be improved in
order to increase agricultural productivity through better skilled graduates and
technicians, innovative research, and market-based extension linked to technologies
and practices.
Institutions offering agricultural education must benefit the local community directly;
one approach could be to set up Agricultural Technology Parks to promote
technology incubation and dissemination and promote sustainable methodologies.
Legal education needs to be competitive globally, adopting best practices and
embracing new technologies for wider access to and timely delivery of justice.
TEACHER EDUCATION
All stand-alone Teachers Education Institutions should convert themselves as
Multi-disciplinary HEs by 2030 to offer only four years integrated B.Ed.
programme.
All schools of foundation, preparatory, middle, and secondary level should
appoint 4-years integrated B.Ed. degree holders as teachers with dual major
specialization (Education & Subject).
Till 2030, there will be two years B.Ed. programme for 3 years UG and one-year
B.Ed. for four years UG and those who have Master’s degree in other subjects.
M.Ed. will be one year with research focus. The faculty profile in Departments
of Education will be diverse with Ph.D.’s in different areas.
A new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher
Education, NCFTE 2021, will be formulated by the NCTE in consultation with
NCERT.
NATIONAL MISSION FOR MENTORING
A National Mission for Mentoring shall be established, with a large pool of
outstanding senior/retired faculty – including those with the ability to teach
in Indian languages – who would be willing to provide short and long-term
mentoring/professional support to university/college teachers.
TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION
An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF),
will be created to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the
use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration.
Appropriate integration of technology into all levels of education will be done to
improve classroom processes, support teacher professional
development, enhance educational access for disadvantaged groups and
streamline educational planning, administration and management.
Technology-based education platforms, such as DIKSHA/SWAYAM, will be
better integrated across school and higher education. HEIs will play an active
role in conducting research on disruptive technologies and in creating
instructional materials and courses including online courses in cutting-edge
domains.
PROMOTION OF INDIAN LANGUAGES, ARTS, AND
CULTURE
The promotion of Indian arts and culture is important not only for the nation but
also for the individual. Cultural awareness and expression are among the
major competencies considered important to develop in children, in order to
provide them with a sense of identity, belonging, as well as an appreciation of
other cultures and identities.
Indian arts of all kinds must be offered to students at all levels of education,
starting with early childhood care and education.
Teaching and learning of Indian languages need to be integrated with school
and higher education at every level.
For languages to remain relevant and vibrant, there must be a steady stream of
high-quality learning and print materials in these languages including textbooks,
workbooks, videos, plays, poems, novels, magazines, etc.
PROMOTION OF INDIAN LANGUAGES,
ARTS, AND CULTURE (CON..)
High-quality programmes and degrees in Translation and Interpretation, Art and
Museum Administration, Archaeology, Artefact Conservation, Graphic Design,
and Web Design within the higher education system will also be created.
Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation (IITI) will be established.
The IITI shall also make extensive use of technology to aid in its translation and
interpretation efforts.
Sanskrit will be mainstreamed with strong offerings in school - including as one
of the language options in the three-language formula - as well as in higher
education. Sanskrit Universities too will move towards becoming large
multidisciplinary institutions of higher learning.
PROMOTION OF INDIAN LANGUAGES, ARTS, AND
CULTURE (CON..)
India will similarly expand its institutes and universities studying all classical
languages and literature, with strong efforts to collect, preserve, translate, and
study the tens of thousands of manuscripts that have not yet received their due
attention.
Sanskrit and all Indian language institutes and departments across the country will
be significantly strengthened
Classical language institutes will aim to be merged with universities, while
maintaining their autonomy, so that faculty may work, and students too may be
trained as part of robust and rigorous multidisciplinary programmes.
National Institute (or Institutes) for Pali, Persian and Prakrit will also be set up
within a university campus.
PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS:
All private universities are eligible for graded autonomy based on their
accreditation status.
All private universities / autonomous colleges have to maintain an openness in their
financial dealings and the BoG is responsible for any irregularities in the accounting
system. BoG should contain eminent people well reputed in their professional area
to guide the speedy development of the HEIs.
All HEIs have autonomy in deciding their fees structure and surplus if any should
be reinvested in the expansion projects with a transparent accounting system.
All private HEIs should offer 20% free-ship and 30% scholarship in the course fee
for meritorious students in every course which they offer during a given academic
year and this should be checked and confirmed by the accreditation process.
National Research Foundation will treat all private HEIs in par with public HEIs for
granting research finds which is only based on the merit of the proposals.
OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING
Open and distance learning will be expanded, thereby playing a significant role
in increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio to 50%. Measures such as online
courses and digital repositories, funding for research, improved student
services, credit-based recognition of MOOCs, etc., will be taken to ensure it is at
par with the highest quality in-class programmes.
CENTRAL ADVISORY BOARD OF
EDUCATION
The Central Advisory Board of Education will be strengthened to ensure
coordination to bring overall focus on quality education. The remodeled and
rejuvenated CABE shall also be responsible for developing, articulating,
evaluating, and revising the vision of education in the country on a continuous
basis, in close collaboration with MOE and the corresponding apex bodies of
States. It shall also create and continuously review the institutional frameworks
that shall help attain this vision.
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 2020
EDUCATE ENCOURAGE ENLIGHTEN

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